GateHouse News Service Regional Budget (12/28/07)

GateHouse News Service Regional Budget (12/28/07)
Here are the top Illinois stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at www.gatehousenewsservice.com
*Please check this Web site in the evening for changes to story lineup, including breaking news.
Contacts:
Regional Editor Jonie Larson, (217) 816-3343, jlarson@gatehousemedia.com
National Editor Jean Hodges, (630) 348-3350, jhodges@gatehousemedia.com

EXTRA: Preliminary Rose Bowl week budget

GateHouse News Service reporter John Supinie will be on the scene in Los Angeles covering the practices and press conferences leading up to the Rose Bowl game between Illinois and USC on Jan. 1. He will file daily reports. Supinie will arrive in LA on Thursday to cover Illinois' first Rose Bowl appearance in 24 years. Here's an preliminary outline for his stay in Los Angeles. (Topics and sidebars may change. Updates daily on GateHouse News Service budget.)

For Friday:
HEAD OF THE CLASS: Left guard Martin O'Donnell is a thinking man's offensive lineman who bridged the gap between the past and the future. In the pocess, he was a first-team All-America in Illinois' powerful rushing attack.
Sidebar: TBA.

For Saturday:
RUNNING MAN: Illinois junior running back Rashard Mendenhall could run his way from a first-year starter in college to a first-round draft pick. While he's not tipping his hand, he's not expected to return for his senior season.
Sidebar: TBA.

For Sunday:
CONTRASTS IN STYLE: Illinois quarterback Juice Williams and USC's John David Booty are a contrast in styles. Williams is midwestern tough, an old-school runner who is blossoming as a passer. Booty is California cool who arrived in college with big passing numbers.
Sidebar: TBA.

For Monday:
REBORN: USC coach Pete Carroll and the Trojans both rebuilt reputations. Dropping down to the college ranks from the NFL, Carroll rebuilt USC into the powerhouse on the West Coast.
Sidebar: TBA.

For Tuesday:
Game preview. Preview capsule. Sidebar or notes.
For Wednesday:
Game story. Report card. Sidebar/notes.

For next Thursday:
Illinois season year-ender and a look to next season.
?
News

SMOKE BAN-CHICAGO. CHICAGO – Operators of Chicago’s 6,000 restaurants and taverns will be expected to snuff out smoking at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1 – right as patrons are in the middle of celebrating New Year’s. Advocates for the hospitality industry on Thursday said that’s expecting a bit much, as city officials outlined the new statewide smoking ban and potential fines for violators. RAMSEY/CHICAGO

STATE BRIEFS – A collection of briefs from GateHouse newspapers across the state. Illinois and Illinois News.

SMOKING — CIVIC CENTER: (w/logo) Headed to the Peoria Civic Center, how far will you have to go for a smoke? A look at how the Civic Center will handle the new rules. JOHN SHARP/PEORIA/this evening/Illinois News

SMOKING — US CELLULAR: How did U.S. Cellular handle the smoke-free environment in Bloomington – how do they police the exterior? This will accompany story about Peoria Civic Center. FITZGERALD DOUBET/PEORIA/this evening/Illinois News

HOLIDAY GARBAGE: (w/pic) Holiday cleanup is under way in Peoria. In the days after Christmas you see mounds and mounds of garbage in different neighborhoods. We talk to garbagemen and others who have to work twice as hard to recover from the holidays. (15 inches by 5 p.m.) KEVIN SAMPIER/PEORIA/this evening/Illinois News

ILLINI MANIA?: Checking with Peoria-area retailers to see what is happening with Illini items. Also seeing if there are any groups headed out there for the Rose Bowl. (10-12 inches by 5 p.m.) ERIN WILSON/PEORIA/this evening/Illinois News

FIRE FOLO — COUPLE: Pursuing a folo on the death of 87-year-old woman who died late Wednesday night, from injuries sustained in Christmas Eve fire that also claimed the life of her husband. (merits; by 9 p.m.) FRANK RADOSEVICH PEORIA/this evening/Illinois News

ELECTRICITY: Early this year, a spike in electricity prices led to a public outcry and, ultimately, a blueprint for a new way for utility companies to purchase power. Butthe new entity, the Illinois Power Agency, won't be up and running for a while yet. This story aims to explain where things stand for now. COLINDRES/CAPITOL BUREAU/Illinois

GRAIN MEETING: Illinois Department of Ag holding meeting tonight for anyone with a financial interest in Central Illinois Grain Co., including farmers who currently have grain stored at the facility south of Canton or haven’t been paid for grain sold to the ethanol plant. (Merits by 9 p.m.) BRENDA ROTHERT PEORIA/this evening/Illinois, Illinois News and GHNS-Business

BABY CRYSTAL: One in a series of stories featuring unsolved homicides. This case may be one of the detective bureau's toughest to crack. The victim has no past. not even a name.. She is a newborn baby. Just hours old with the umbilical cord still attached, the baby was wrapped in the mother's clotHing and tossed in garbage bag and froze to death in Shirland Township. Authorities say she was found on a "crystal clear night," and was given the name, Crystal. GREEN/LaCross/ROCKFORD/Illinois News

NEW EDITOR NAMED AT SJ-R: Jon Broadbooks, editor of the Utica Observer-Dispatch and UticaOD.com in Utica, N.Y., since 2005, has been named editor of The State Journal-Register, publisher Scott Bowers announced Thursday. Broadbooks, 41, begins work Jan. 7. SPRINGFIELD and UTICA/Illinois News.